King - Cooking Up A French Vacation

Cooking Up a French Vacation

Table of Contents

Foreword

Map of France with School Locations Indicated

Part I. Whats Cooking?

Chapter 1 Appetizers

Cuisine Francaise

Chapter 2. Soup or Salad

a. Choices, Choices !

b. Ingredients : Choosing a Cooking School

c. Matrix of Cooking Schools

Part II. Entree The Selections

Chapter 3 - Brittany

a. Introduction to Brittany

b. Hotel de Carantec : Gourmet plus Spa

c. recipes

Chapter 4 - Normandy

a. Introduction to Normandy

b. LAufragere : Cordon Bleu in 18th C. Manor

c. recipes

d. On Rue Tatin : Susan Loomis 15th C. Kitchen

e. recipes

Chapter 5-Alsace-Lorraine

a. Introduction to Alsace-Lorraine

b. Savour of France : Colmar

Chapter 6. The Loire

a. Introduction to the Loire

b. Le Domaine de la Tortiniere : Gracious Living

c. recipes

Chapter 7. Ile-de-France

a. Introduction to Paris

b.At Home With Patricia Wells : A Food Writers Paris

c. recipes

d. La Cuisine de Marie-Blanche : A Princess Entertains

e. recipes

Chapter 8. Burgundy

a. Introduction to Burgundy

b. Etoile Barges : Floating Luxury

c. recipes

Chapter 9. Lyons/Rhone

a. Introduction to Lyons/Rhone

b. Ecole des Arts Culinaires : In Bocuses Shadow

c. recipes

Chapter 10. Savoy

a. Introduction to Savoy

b. La Cuisine de Savoie : Albertville

c. recipes

Chapter 11. Provence

a. Introduction to Provence

b. Association Culinaire Traditionale : Traditional Cooking

c. recipes

d. Cooking With Friends : In Julia Childs Kitchen

e. recipes

Chapter 12. Languedoc

a. Introduction to Languedoc

b. Les Mimosas : Southern French Cooking

c. recipes

Chapter 13. Auvergne

a. Introduction to Auvergne

b. Ecole des Trois Ponts : Roanne

c. recipes

Chapter 14. Gascony, Toulouse and Quercy

a. Introduction to Gascony, Toulouse and Quercy

b. LEcole de Cuisine du Domaine dEsperance : Country Kitchen

c. recipes

Chapter 15. Pays Basque

a. Introduction to Pays Basque

b. Basque Cuisine : Michelin in the Mountains

c. recipes

Chapter 16. The Dordogne

a. Introduction to the Dordogne

b. Chteau des Vigiers : Golf and Cuisine

c. recipes

d. La Combe en Perigord : Caves

e. recipes

Chapter 17. Bordeaux and the Atlantic Coast

a. Introduction to Bordeaux and the Atlantic Coast

b. Two Bordelais : Regional Cuisine

c. recipes

d. A Week In Bordeaux : Wine and Food Experts

e. recipes

Part III. Dessert

Chapter 18. The Frosting on the Cake : Touring

Part IV. The Bill

Chapter 19. Figuring the Costs : (Cooking) Tips Included

Chapter 20. Home on the Range : French Cooking Resources

Appendices :

Glossary of French Cooking Terms

Conversion Tables From Metric

Suggestions for Further Reading

Foreword

In a famous speech, Charles de Gaulle gave the example of the production of over 400 cheeses in France as an indication of the great diversity in the country. Today there are over 800 different kinds of cheeses in France and the distinctiveness of the different regions in France is still very evident. Each region is like entering another country. This regional uniqueness of culture, geography and history (or terroir ) is reflected in the food and wine of each region as well. Terroir is an important part of the regional differences in the cuisine. This is what I explore in my book.

While writing my book on Provence cooking classes, Cooking Up A Provence Vacation, I became aware that most Americans lack an understanding of the great diversity in French regional cooking. They tend to lump all French cooking into rich dishes cooked in lots of butter. I determined to write a sequel to the Provence book that presents 15 culinary divisions in France, cooking classes that represent them and what makes those regions special in their culinary and cultural aspects.

In this book I include the importance that the influence of the culture, geography and history of each region has had on its specific cuisine and wines. I visited each site and interviewed the chef and participants. Cooking classes were selected for their regional approaches to cooking, their facilities, the wine of the area and additional places of interest that are nearby. A variety of cooking class facilities is included: chateaux, manor houses, cottages, barges, and hotels. Two recipes from each cooking class are given as well as two photos (generally of the chef or owners and one of the facilities). Wines of each region are discussed. A matrix of the selected cooking classes is supplied for easy determination of facilities, costs, approaches, accommodations and more.

Even if you do not attend a cooking class, Cooking Up A French Vacation provides a greater understanding of what comprises the broader spectrum of French cuisine and how the land (or terroir ) is reflected in each regional cuisine. You are a more knowledgeable diner, cook and potential traveler to France. Cooking Up A French Vacation provides intriguing reading for readers who are interested in cooking, in France and in travel in general.

Map of French Regions

Part I. Whats Cooking?

Chapter 1 Appetizers

Cuisine Francaise

The art of French cuisine is to present food that is pleasant to all the senses: taste, touch smell, sight and hearing. The French people consider eating well a vital part of their national heritage. There are really two French cuisines. Haute cuisine is the basis of fine dining and cuisine bourgeoisie is from the peasant lifestyle.

This was not always so. In the Middle Ages, only the nobles ate well and then it was mostly meat, game, a few vegetables served in a buffet style. The clergy had rules that limited the people on their use of meat and dairy products. The serfs had to be content with nuts, roots, rye bread and an occasional pig to roast.

In the 16 th century, Louis XIV, Henry IV and Catherine de Medici influenced French cuisine. Catherine de Medici arrived at the French court in 1533 as the future bride of Henri II. She brought with her Florentine cooks from Italy who introduced new dishes and new methods of cooking the raw materials available. They introduced the use of the tablecloth, fork, glasses and the dining room as well as tournedos steaks, zabaglione and ice cream. Henri IV married Catherines niece, Marie de Medicis and with her came sauce barnaise and sauce Mornay. Italian manners were also imported with the publication of The Fifty Courtesies of the Table .

When Louis XIV came into power (1638-1715), the concept of huge, lavish banquets became the standard for nobles. At the kings residence in Versailles lived one thousand aristocrats with another thousand living in the neighborhood. Although there was a catering staff of four thousand, the large amount of diners for banquets presented a formidable task. This is dramatically demonstrated in the true film about Vatel, the maitre dhotel of Prince de Conde. Vatel was expected to produce one banquet a day for three days for five thousand guests when Louis XIV visited Condes Chateau of Chantilly. Vatel pulled it off but ended up killing himself as he didnt think he had succeeded. During this period, the rulers would show off to the leaders and nobles of other countries and have elaborate banquets that might last three days.

Slowly the different feudal kingdoms were pulled together into one mighty nation. These included the Burgundians and the Provencals, Germanic-speaking Alsaatians, Celtic-speaking Bretons, Basques and Catalans. From the amalgamation came the diverse cuisines that compose French gastronomy.